San Mateo County DA: Stabbing suspect lured victims to remote area to murder them

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- The San Mateo County district attorney released new details Monday about 26-year-old Malik Dosouqi, the man charged with luring two other men on two consecutive days to a remote part of Skyline Boulevard and then stabbing them to death.

Dosouqi made his first court appearance Monday but his arraignment was pushed to July 8th. He's being held on no bail.

Dosouqi is facing eight charges, including two counts of murder, after 31-year-old John Pekipaki and 32-year-old Abdulmalek Nasher were found with fatal stab wounds along Skyline Boulevard.

Investigators say John Pekipaki was working as a tow truck operator when he received a call to help someone in the area where he was found.

The San Mateo County District Attorney's office told ABC7 News that it appears Dosouqi purposely lured the men to Skyline boulevard to murder them, but that the selection of victims was random.

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District attorney Steve Wagstaffe said whoever answered the phone call for help was "unfortunately who lost their life."

Wagstaffe also said that they do not believe anyone else was involved in the killings and that there are not believed to be any additional victims.

The motive still remains a mystery.

"Are we dealing with hate crimes here? Are we dealing with religious motives? Are we dealing with a thrill killer? Those are what we do not know yet, " said District attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

In an exclusive jailhouse interview, Dpsouqi told ABC7 News that he does not remember the alleged crimes and is an innocent man.

He spoke to ABC7 News' Anser Hassan from the San Mateo County Jail, his left arm wrapped up and heavily bandaged.

District Attorney Wagstaffe now believes that Dosouqi hurt his arm when John Pekipaki fought back during the attack.

Dosouqi told ABC7 that he "had some kind of nerve damage." He appeared nervous during the interview and seemed dazed and confused. He didn't appear to understand that he is being charged with two counts of murder.

When asked if he killed the two men, Dosouqi said "no." He said, "I want to prove my innocence" and that he was "wrongfully accused."

RELATED: Suspect in 2 San Mateo Co. stabbings now behind bars, faces murder charges

When asked about the crimes he's accused of committing, he said "I don't remember anything" except "waking up in the hospital."

Dosouqi said he doesn't recall driving on Skyline Boulevard either night. When asked if he knew Nasher or Pekipaki, he shook his head and said no.

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The District Attorney's office revealed that Dosouqi did have a prior encounter with law enforcement in San Mateo County.

This past spring he was convicted of disturbing the peace on Highway 1 after he stepped out into traffic and tried to touch people in their cars. He later fought with a responding sheriff's deputies.

After his conviction, Dosouqi received one year probation and was fined $600 dollars.